There was a gathering of 580 large
gulls during the early evening, probably from the Cannock area and
clearly not the birds seen earlier at Stubber's Green which had a
higher proportion of Herring Gulls and adults or near adults. At
least 6 Yellow-legged Gulls were present including a 2cy, 3cy
and 4 4cy/adults (GE).

At Stubber's Green there was an
impressive gathering of large gulls including at least 12
Yellow-legged Gulls (see images), 45 Herring Gulls (including
red ring PT8T) and 450 Lesser Black-backs. All of the
Yellow-legged Gulls noted, before they got disturbed, were aged at
least 3cy (GE).

2nd

A Ringed Plover was disturbed
from the shoreline and joined 3 high-flying similar sized waders
before leaving to the east. Near the Pier, an adult Little Ringed
Plover was behaving as if it still had unfledged young. Also
present were 4 Snipe, 2 Common Terns, 10 Swifts and a brief
look at the afternoon gull gathering produced at least 4 (2cy, 3cy,
2 adult) Yellow-legged Gulls and an intermedius
Lesser Black-back. A Black-tailed Skimmer was along the South
Shore (GE).

On Gentleshaw Common
there was a Southern Hawker and 46 Red Deer were in the
fields behind the Redmore (GE).

Southern Hawker

At Stubber's Green there were more
immature birds than yesterday with 30 Lesser Black-backs and 4
Herring Gull juveniles. 4 (3cy, 3 adult)Yellow-legged Gulls
were seen before the gulls were disturbed. Ringed birds included a
Herring Gull, orange on blue ?721 and Lesser Black-back white
on red 8WF (GE).

Yellow-legged Gulls

3rd

2 Hobbies were over the North
Shore at 15:00 (GR). 38 Tufted Ducks and 105 Lapwings were
present and the late afternoon gathering of gulls included 300
Lesser Black-backs, 2 Herring Gulls and 8 (2 2cy, 3 3cy, 3 adult)
Yellow-legged Gulls (GE).

3cy Yellow-legged-Gull

2cy Yellow-legged Gull

2cy Yellow-legged Gull

4th

Sat

2 Common Sandpipers and 30 high flying Swifts were
present and a quick look at the early evening gulls produced 2 (2cy,
3c) Yellow-legged Gulls (GE).

A brief look at Stubber's Green produced 3 adult
Yellow-legged Gulls and a Shoveler (GE).

5th

Sun

A very brief binocular scan of the early evening
gulls showed there to be at least 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls
present (GE).

6th

2 Common Terns, a Common Sandpiper
and 131 Lapwings were present. Amongst the evening gull
gathering there were at least 13 Yellow-legged Gulls
including 8 4cy/adults, 3 3cy and 2 2cy birds (GE).

7th

8th

2 Hobbies were on Cuckoo Bank (PW).

9th

A 'sunset visit' confirmed that the gull roost is
now quite impressive with several hundred large gulls, many of
which arriving from the north and perhaps explaining why there
were less than 100 large gulls at Blithfield when I briefly
stopped on the causeway yesterday evening. Conversely,
Blithfield held over 4000 Black-headed Gulls, around 5 times the
number at Chasewater (GE).

10th

132 Lapwings (GE), 2-3 Ringed Plovers and a
Common Sandpiper were present (PW).

11th

Sat

On the Swag there was a pair of Great Crested
Grebes with 3 chicks (GR).

12th

Sun

1-2 Crossbills were heard calling as they
passed south over Norton Bog during the morning and during the
evening 7 Black Terns, a juvenile Little Gull, a
Greenshank and a
Common Sandpiper were present (PW, GE).

13th

A Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, 18 Swifts and 50 House Martins were present
and the adult Little Ringed Plover from the Pier territory
was accompanied by a recently fledged juvenile (PW). The gull roost
included around 800 each of Black-headed Gulls and large gulls which
included at least 5 (2cy, 4 adults) Yellow-legged Gulls (GE).

14th

During the evening a Curlew and
Greenshank were present and 100+ martins were gathering at the
north end of the lake as if they were about to roost. At least 5
(2cy, 4 adults) Yellow-legged Gulls were amongst the large
roost of Lesser Black-backs and 2-3 Brown Hawkers were still in
flight until near dark (GE).

15th

During the morning a Wheatear was on the South
Shore and at dusk 132 Lapwings, a Greenshank and 190 Canada
Geese were present and a brief look at the gull roost produced a 2cy
and 3 adult Yellow-legged Gulls (GE).

16th

There was an influx of 70 Swifts during the
morning, a Holly Blue and 2 Willow Tits were by the
Swag where there were 28 Tufted Ducks and a Pochard. Both Sedge and Reed Warblers were giving snatches of song
(GE). A Common Sandpiper was also present (PW).

17th

At dusk the adult and juvenile
Little Ringed Plovers were on the South Shore, a Common
Sandpiper was on the pontoon and an adult Arctic Tern was
on a buoy. The gull roost was fairly impressive but not examined
closely (GE).

18th

Sat

During the morning 5 Common Terns flew
south-west, 34 Swifts and over 50 House Martins were
overhead, 3 Gadwall and 5 Jays were at the Swag and there were 30
Goldfinches, 6+ Reed Warblers and several Willow Warblers,
Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. At dusk 3 Common Sandpipers were present
and the gull roost held at least 5 (2cy, 2 3cy, 2 adult)
Yellow-legged Gulls, probably several more but I was distracted
by the super sunset (GE).

At Stubber's Green there were 2 Teal, 123
Lapwings, a Green Sandpiper, 6 Snipe, 3 Cormorants, 3 Swifts
and an adult Yellow-legged Gull amongst only a handful of
large gulls (GE).

Yellow-legged Gull

19th

Sun

During the morning there were 60+ Lapwings, 7 Snipe,
a Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, 3 Grey Herons, Cormorant and a
Swift (GE, GR).

20th

Very quiet during the morning with just a Cormorant
and 13 Swifts noted (GE).

21st

A Little Ringed Plover, 76 Lapwings, 188
Canada Geese, a few Swifts, 4 Sedge Warblers, a Whitethroat and
several Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs were noted (CM).

22nd

23rd

24th

25th

Sat

A Black-tailed Godwit and a Common
Sandpiper were present (CM) and 4 Shovelers were on the Swag (GE).

26th

Sun

27th

28th

4 Swifts were present (PW).

On Cuckoo Bank there were 2 Buzzards and a Hobby
(PW).

29th

At dusk there were 14 Swifts and good
numbers of hirundines including up to 100 Swallows. 232 Canada Geese
were present and a brief look at the gull roost produced at least 4
adult Yellow-legged Gulls (GE).

30th

2 Common Sandpipers were present (PW).

31st

A Dunlin, Little Ringed
Plover, 50 House Martins and a few Swifts were present (GR).